Pipe wiper



H. W. SLATER Dec. 9, 1952 PIPE WIPER Filed NOV. 6. 1948 Ma im A TTORNE YS Patented Dec. 9, 1952 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE r PIPE WIPER Henry W. Slater, Victoria, Tex.

, Application November 6, 1948, Serial No. 58,783

Theflinvention relates to a device for removing sedimentary deposits from the outer surfaces of elongated objects, and is particularly adapted for contacting drill pipe to clean the pipe and remove mud therefrom as the drill pipe is removed from a Well hole or bore. v

Generally, in the rotary system of drilling wells, a drill pipe is supported in a derrick as it is rotated by a rotary table located at the base of the derrick, and on the lower end of the drill pipe there is provided a bit which digs into the earth and drills a hole therein. As the hole is drilled progressively deeper, additional lengths of pipe are addedito 'thedrill pipe until .the desired depth to which the well bore is to be drilled is attained.

In order to remove the cuttings of earth formations from the wellbore, and in order to provide stability to the inner surface of the well bore and to prevent it fromcaving'in, the well hole is filled with a fluid consisting of a suspension of mud of a predetermined characteristic. This mud is pumped down through the drill string and discharged around the bit and then flows up around the outside of the drill pipe between the pipe and the inside surface of the well bore back to the surface. Y a

Of course, as the drilling proceeds it becomes necessary from time to time to remove the string of drill pipe fromthe well bore. As amatter of general practice, this pipe is removed in lengths of two, three, or four, or, as more generally termed in the art, doubles, treblesfi and fourbles. As the pipe is removed from the well bore it isstacked in the derrick so that it is readily accessible to be replaced back into the well bore at the desired time. It seems obvious that as the drill string is removed from the Well bore, the mud fluid in'the' well bore is inclined to cake and become attached to the outer surface of the drill pipe.

Unless the mud is removed from the pipe as it is withdrawn from the well bore, it falls on the derrick floor and makes it slippery, thereby increasing the danger to workmen handlingthe Generally, pipe wiper devices which are designed to remove this cake of mud from the pipe are positioned immediately below the rotary table under the derrick floor between the rotary and a'blow-out preventer. The blow-out preventer is positioned immediately below the rotary table in the cellar below the derrick floor. Heretofore, in order'to position the wiper device under the rotary table it has been necessary to remove various parts of the rotary table so that 3 Claims. (o1.15 -210) 2 V the pipe wiper could be inserted therethrough to assume its .normal position.

A great deal of time is consumed in moving various parts such as the master bushing and the Kelly drive bushing from the rotary table to provide a large'enough opening to insert the pipe Wiper therethrough.

Additionally, another disadvantage with the construction of present day pipe wipers is the fact that if the drill bit on the end of the drill pipe is pulled'upwardly therethrough, the hole in the pipe wiper is enlarged to such an extent that it will no longer contact the drill pipe which is generally a smaller diameter than the drill bit.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a drill pipe-wiper, which wiper is of a construction so that it can be readily positioned under the rotary table by removing a minimum number of elements from the rotary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe Wiper for drill pipe, which pipe wiper has a replaceable wiping member associated therewith so that if the drill bit is drawn through the pipe wiper it is only necessary to replace the wiper member. I

Still another object of the invention-is to provide a drill pipe wiper. comprising, a body with an aperture therein and a replaceable wiper member of resilient rubber composition of a size to fit in said aperture so as to engage a string of drill pipe as it is being removed from the well bore. I

A still further object is to provide a pipe wiper which may be used both with rotaries which do not have master bushings and with rotarie's which do have master bushings. I

A still further object of the invention is'to provide a drill pipe wiper which comprises a body of resilient composition'so that it may beflexed and inserted through the master bushing opening in a rotary table, there being an aperture in 'said body which is provided with a seat to receive a replaceable wiper member of resilient rubber composition, and means to engage said 'wiper member in the seat of said body;

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a wiper device of the class described which may be easily and quickly positioned below a rotary table to engage a string of drill pipe and remove sedimentary deposits from the outer surface thereof as such drill pipe is moved through the wiper.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wiper for cleaning the outer surface of elongated objects, which wiper comprises a body, a replaceable wiper member fitted in said body, there being an opening in said wiper member of a size to engage about the outer surface of the object to clean the surface as the object is moved through the wiper.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the following description in connection with the following drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation partly in vertical section showing a drill pipe wiper embodying the present invention in position below a rotary table of a drilling derrick.

Figure 2 is an elevation partially in vertical section showing the method of inserting the drill pipe wiper, comprising the instant invention, fiexing the wiper body and inserting it through the opening in the master drive bushing of the rotary table;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view showing the preferred manner in which the replaceable wiper member is removably engaged with the body of the wiper;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing the preferred embodiment of the construction of a drill pipe wiper embodying the present invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the drill pipe wiper is indicated generally by the numeral 2 and is shown as being mounted in wiping contact with a drill pipe 3 which is indicated as built of sections linked together by the coupling member As previously mentioned, power is supplied through the rotary table 5 through the master bushing 6 and Kelly drive bushing (not shown) which drive bushing normally engages a Kelly supported in the derrick. The Kelly is connected to the drill string to rotate with the string and advance the bit into the earth. To remove the drill string from the well bore the Kelly drive bushing is removed from the rotary table and the pipe is successively drawn upwardly through the rotary table and disconnected at the couplings 4.

If the drill pipe wiper is mounted under the rotary, as is the general custom, and as illustrated in Fig. l of the drawing, when the first length of pipe contacts the pipe wiper it will move the wiper upagainst the bottom I l of the rotary table. The opening 2 in the pipe wiper is of a slightly smaller diameter than the pipe being wiped, therefore, the pipe wiper will grip the outer surface of the pipe and tend to rise with the pipe until it engages the bottom ll of the rotary. Due to the fact that the pipe wiper 2 is larger or longer than the dimensions of the drive bushing opening l in the rotary table through which the drill pigs passes, the wiper frame will remain pinned against the rotary as the pipe is pulled from the well bore up through the rotary. In this manner the wiper shown generally at 2 contacts the outer surface 9 of the drill pipe 3 and removes the mud or sedimentary deposit Ill from the outer surface thereof.

The wiper may have an opening 2 therethru of any suitable dimension to accommodate pipe of different diameter and the preferred embodiment is as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. In Fig. 4, the wiper is shown as comprising a body or frame I3 of oblong shape and preferably formed of resilient rubber composition. An aperture I i is provided in the body I3 to receive the replaceable wiper member I5 of resilient rubber composition. A steel reinforcing bar is is provided along the outer edge of the body I3 in order to afford additional strength and rigidity to the body I3. As shown in Fig. 4, suitable means, such as brass screws or bolts I! are provided to hold the replaceable wiper member I 5 in position in the aperture IA of the body I3.

The construction is more clearly illustrated in Figure 3, wherein a groove I8 is provided on the inner periphery of the aperture I4. The replaceable wiper insert member I5 may be provided with a narrowed portion or flange l9 about its outer edge thereof so as to engage within the groove IS. The brass screws or bolts I! may then be inserted through the lips 20 formed by the groove is and through the narrowed portion I9 about the edge of the replaceable wiper portion I5.

In view of the fact that the only portion of the Wiper which wears is the central opening 2 of wiper member I5 which engages the periphery of the pipe 3, it seems obvious from the foregoing that such wiper insert can be readily replaced as it becomes worn. Of course, the opening 2 which in the wiping inserts I5 may be of different sizes to engage drill pipe or elongated objects of varying diameter.

While it is believed that the operation of the invention is apparent from the foregoing, by way of summary and further illustration, it will be assumed that it is desired to remove a string of drill pipe from a well bore. The Kelly drive bushing not shown will be removed from the opening i within the master bushing 5, as shown in Figure 2. The drive Kelly with the drive bushing clamped on it may be disconnected from the drill string 3 at the top drill stem joint and set aside. The wiper 2 with the Wiping member H5 in position may then be installed over the upper end of the drill string and lowered through the master bushing opening I in a tilted position as shown in Fig. 2. After passing through the rotary table the wiper assumes a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1. This method of installation is not possible with more conventional wipers because their shape is not such that they may pass through the master bushing which must be removed and reinstalled, involving delay and danger to the workmen. The drill string may then be moved upwardly through the rotary table 5 and is disconnected at the coupling members in suitable lengths. If the wiper insert portion [5 should become worn from time to time, it is only necessary that such wiper member I5 be replaced; it is not necessary to replace the entire wiper as sembly or frame I3.

From the foregoing it is to be seen that it is not necessary to remove the master bushing 6 from the rotary table in order to insert the wiper device comprising the instant invention in position below the rotary. Additionally, it is not necessary to replace the whole Wiper as it becomes worn. It is only necessary to replace the central portion thereof comprising the Wiper insert member I5.

Attention is directed to the fact that the steel bar it around the edge of the wiper is completely covered with rubber to prevent sparking in event pipe or coupling should contact the wiper body.

Not only is a pipe wiper used to clean mud from pipe as it is removed from a well bore, but it is also used when running the pipe back in the well bore as a protection against dropping small tools, tong keys or any metals in the hole, thus preventing possible costly fishing jobs. Therefore, the pipe wiper of the instant invention is particularly adaptable for use, since it is adaptable for quick change over to anew wiper insert member when the opening 2 becomes worn or to provide an insert with a different size opening 2 in event the size of the pipe to be wiped is changed. Since the wiper member need not contact the pipe tightly as it is being put into the well, but is used only to prevent tools, etc, from falling into the well bore, a wiper member with a somewhat larger opening 2' may be used thus saving wear on a tight fitting wiper member.

In some instances, present day rotaries have no master bushing making it impossible to install present day wipers without removing the rotary completely, but a wiper in accordance with the instant invention, can be readily installed beneath a rotary whether the rotary has a master bushing or not.

It seems obvious that the wiper comprising the instant invention can be made from any suitable composition material and can be of any desired dimensions to suit the need at hand. While the invention has been described as applying particularly to the wiping of drill pipe as it is being removed from a well bore, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in any way by this example but that the invention could be used to remove sedimentary deposits from any elongated object.

Broadly, the invention contemplates a pipe wiper which can be readily and easily put in position and which is provided with a replaceable wiper member of resilient rubber composition.

What is claimed is:

1. A pipe wiper for use with a rotary table having an opening through which a pipe is passed, said wiper comprising, a generally flat oblong body having a length greater than the diameter of said opening, and having a width somewhat less than the diameter of said opening, said body being composed of flexible resilient composition material, a relatively rigid reinforcing member disposed about the outer periphery of the said body and connected thereto, a circu lar opening in the medial portion of said body, a circular wiper insert composed of flexible resilient composition material releasably secured in said opening, and a central aperture in said wiper insert having a normal diameter somewhat less than that of a pipe to be passed therethrough.

2. A pipe wiper for use with a rotary table having an opening through which a pipe is passed, said wiper comprising, a generally flat oblong body having a length greater than the diameter of said opening, and having a width somewhat less than the diameter of said opening, said body being composed of flexible resilient composition material, a relatively rigid reinforcing member disposed about the outer periphery of said body embedded within said composition material, a circular opening in the medial portion of said body, a circular wiper insert composed of flexible resilient composition material releasably secured in said opening, releasable means connecting the outer periphery of said wiper insert to the wall of said opening, and a central aperture in said wiper insert having a normal diameter somewhat less than that of a pipe to be passed therethrough.

3. A pipe wiper for use with a rotary table having an opening through which a pipe is passed, said wiper comprising, a generally flat oblong body having a length greater than the diameter of said opening, and having a width somewhat less than the diameter of said opening, said body being composed of flexible resilient composition material, a relatively rigid reinforcing member disposed about the outer periphery of said body embedded within said composition material, a circular opening in the medial portion of said body, a circular wiper insert composed of flexible resilient composition material releasably secured in said opening, an annular recess in the wall of said opening, an annular flange about the outer periphery of said wiper insert extending into said recess, removable bolt means fastening said flange within said recess, and a central aperture in said wiper insert having a normal diameter somewhat less than that of a pipe to be passed therethrough.

HENRY W. SLATER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

